Honor Your Body

Time was, we all wanted to ascend. Go out in space. Did you ever have an out of body experience? 

We have come to this experience of embodiment to learn, and to test ourselves against challenges, but often we feel lost, confined and alienated by the harshness and loneliness of the physical state. We want to fly away and rise above the rough and tumble world.

The easy thing is to use distraction, drugs, or even work, to just forget about the body. It goes automatically, so why pay attention to it? Mostly we don't, unless something hurts. Even then, pop a painkiller, right? Let the brain drive, that is all we care about.

But this is not a time for ascension, no, it's a time for going down. Going down into the heart, the physical, and bringing the light of our consciousness along. Some part of each of us remembers we 'came' here, for a reason. Maybe to plant, and grow up a batch of love?

Actually our bodies have their own kind of wisdom, if we pay attention. It is really simple, in some ways. "Eat when hungry, sleep when tired", as the zen saying goes. The stomach, the heart, and probably other systems in the body each have their own 'brain' of sorts. Yogis know that the whole body is a kind of brain when activated.

There will come a time when you may want to leave your mortal coil, but for now you are driving one of the most sophisticated forms known in the universe. So far, we have only scratched the surface of the capabilities of this equipment, the precious human body form. So for now, while you are here, run! It's five minutes later than it was five minutes ago!

Dance! Play! Relax! Fast! Do yoga! Feast! Sing! Be grateful. Taste the strawberries, make love, give hugs, touch things, smell the flowers, walk in nature, and when you do, pay attention! Pay attention from inside. Really feel what you feel. You won't regret it.

Nobody on their deathbed has ever said "I wish I had spent more time at the office".

                                                -- Rabbi Harold Kushner